Coupling mechanism for train pipes



v Jun-e '19, 1923.

l L. M. KING coUPLING MECHANISM FOR TRAIN PIPEs Filed Oct. 8 1919 'VENTO/e Patented June 19, 1923,

UNITE TES LEA M. KING, OF MORRISTOWN, TENNESSEE.

COUPIJINGA MECHANISM FOR TRAIN PIPES.

l Application filed (Jetober 8, 1919.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, LEA M. KING, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Morristown, in the county of I-Iamblen and State of Tennessee, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Coupling Mechanism for Train Pipes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in train pipe coupling mechanism,-one object of the invention being to provide a structure whereby the automatic coupling of the train pipes, such as the air-brake, signal, and steam pipes, will be accurately effected in such manner when the cars are being coupled or uncoupled, that necessity for trainmen entering between the cars to couple o-r uncouplethe air or steam connections will be obviated and so that, in the event of parting of the train, the air brakes will be automatically applied on the cars of all the parted port-ions of the train.

A further object is to provide simple and efiicient means for manipulating the valves in the coupling heads, from the sides of a car.

A further object is to provide eihcient yielding means for supporting the coupling devices in approximately horizontal position and at the proper elevation to insure accurate coupling of the mechanism on two cars.

A further object is to somount the coupling mechanism that the same can yield longitudinally, vertically and laterally to accommodate the same to various movements to which cars are subjected during travel.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel features of constructionand combinations of parts as hereinafter set forth and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figurev 1 is a side elevation illustrating my improvements; Figures 2 and 3 are sectional views, and Figure 4; is a perspective showing two heads.

1 represents the draft ybeam with which the car coupling devices of any approved construction are connected.

Brackets 2 depend from the rear portion Serial No. 329,258.

of the draft beam or from any suitable support beneath the ioor of a car, and serve to support a block 3 by means of a horizontal pivot so that said block shall be capable `of vertical pivotal movement. The block 3 is recessed for the reception of a shank 4 on the rear end of a hollow bar 5, said shank being pivotally attached to the block by means of a vertical pivot whereby the bar 5 may swing horizontally or laterally. The tubular bar 5 receives the shank 6 of a pipe coupling head 7 and between the rear end of said shank and a seatwithin the tubular bar 5, a spring 8 is located, said spring tending to press the coupling hea-d forwardly. Movement of the coupling head relatively to the tubular bar is limited by means ofa key 9 secured to the shank 6 and movable through a slot or slots 10 in said tubular bar,said key and slot also preventing turning of the coupling head and its shank.

A frame or yoke 11 depends from the forward portion of the draft beam 1, and braces 12 may, if needed, extend from thelower end of this yoke or frame to the rear portion of the draft beam or other substantial support. A cross bar 15, the upper surface of which may be concave in form, is movably disposed between the parallel vertical members of the frame or yoke 11 and provided at its ends with projecting portions 16 which cooperate with the parallel vertical members to form guides for said cross bar 15. Springs 17 are located between bottom of yoke 11 and the movable cross bar 15 and may be of the type shown in the drawing or, if desired, coiled springs may be employed. The cross vbar 15 constitutes a support for the tubular bar 5 and the coupling devices carried thereby and the springs 17 (whereby this bar is rendered yielding) will permit vertical play of the coupling devices.

In order to retain the tubular bar v5 and the coupling devices carried thereby in a central position when the cars are not coupled, springs 18 are employed and located at respective sides of said tubular bar,-one end of each of said springs being secured to the depending yoke or frame 11 and the other end bearing against the tubular bar. These springs also serve to permit yielding lateral motion of lthe tubular bar and cou'- pling devices, to compensate for irregular lateral motion of the cars.

The coupling head 7 has a general wedge shape, being provided ywith outer inclined bead-being slightly beveled, as at 21, at the forward end of the inner flat face 20, inv

order to prevent the coupling head on one car from engaging the outer beveled face 19 of a coupling head on another car. A beveled hood 22 having inner surfaces to correspondwith the outer surfaces of the frontvhalf of head 7 is secured to the rear half of the couplinghead 7 in `such manner that the beveled wall thereof shall engage the beveled head -of the opposing coupling when the coupling ydevices on two cars .are brought together, thebeveled hood of one coupling head engaging the forward beveled end of ,the other coupling head and thetwo coupling heads .being brought together in such manner that the flat innerfaces will ybe pressed tightly .together. Each coupling head isprovided with ducts 23,-2i`having ports at one end coincident withthe inner flatgfaceZO of said head, and provided at their ,other ends with nipples 2G for the reception of flexible pipes QT-SV-one of thelatter being connected with the air brake system and the other with the signaling system. A bushing .is inserted (preferably threaded) into the inner endfof eachlduct 23-24 and provided at its free end with a yielding` ring 29 which projects slightly bcyond the plane of the inner face 20,01c the coupling head, in order to make an air tight c onnection between the ducts 23 24e from one coupling head to thevother.

It will be understood that the coupling head 7 is normally disposed somewhat beyond the normal vertical plane of the forward end of the car coupling, so that when two cars are being coupled, the pipe coupling devices of the two cars will come .together prior to the cooperation of the car couplings, and thus the coupling heads 7 will be forced rearwardly lagainst the resistance of `the springs 8,-the latter tending, therefore, in cooperation with the beveled heads 19, 19a and 19h and the beveled hoods 22 to insure the inner `faces `of theftwo coupling heads `7 to be pressed laterally toward each other and the yieldingvrings 29 of respective heads, to be firmly pressed against each other to insure tight connections between the ducts of the respective coupling heads. i

Valves 30 and 30a are located in each coupling head for controlling the ducts therein. Theshank of each valve 30 projects slightly above the upper face of the coupling liead and valve 30a slightly below, and are providedwith cross heads 3l andl?. Arms such as shown at 32am secured to `any suitable 4rigid part (such as an end sill la) `of the forward end of lthe vcar `at respective sides thereof :and constitute guides for manually operable rods 38 and arconnected withy the cross heads 3l and 31a ,of the ,valves 30 and 30, the rod attachedto oneendofa cross head extending through the guide arm at one side of the car, and the rod attached to the other end of said cross head extendinov to the other side of the car. By means of these devices, the valves 30 and 30a may be manually operated from either side of the car and as the coupling heads are automatically coupled aspreviously explained, there will be no necessity `for theftnainmen entering` between cars, either toefi'ect the coupling or uncoupling of the'train pipes Xorrto manipulate the valves. be made with a single `valve extending through and controlling both ducts. i

By yproviding valves which may be manipulated onlyfby hand, it will b efreadily seenvthatif any car o f a=trainshouldpartfrom the others, the air brakes would be at once applied, as will be readily understood.

When it is desiredto provide automatic coupling` meansbetween cars, vfor thesteain heating pipes, `a coupling head ,34e similar in shape and design to aircoupling head 7 is secured under the couplinghead 7. lThe coupling head 34 will be disposedin position identical with, but below that ofthe coupling head 7 and the lower flange of its hood 35 may be omitted `to permitthe escape ofl condensed steam or water. The 4valve 36 in the steam pipe couplinghead is ,-alsomanually operable from the sides of thev car in the same manner as hereinbefore described relative to the valvesA in theheads'?.

Various slight changes mightbe'made in the details of construction Awithout departing from the vspirit thereof, and the flexible pipes may be detachedfrom the coupling head-when a car equipped with my improve-r ments is tobe coupled .toa vcar whichis not, and attached to the nipples of thelatter, and I do not wish to restrict myself to lthe precise details herein Aset forth.

Having fully described my invention what Lclaim as new and desire .to secure-by Letters-Patent,`is:

l. n coupling mechanism forftrainpipes,

Or the -devicemay v the combination with a blockand a horizoni tal pivotal support therefor, of a tubular bar having a pivotal connection with r said block at right angles yto the pivotal support of the latter, springs bearing .agansftdiametrically opposite sides of said bar, I:a-Snpr port for theA forward v`portion ofsaid tubular bar, springs under such :forward supp,ort,.a

pipe coupling head, and ayielding eonnection hetweensaidv head and tubular bar,

2. lrrcouplngmechansm fortrailfnpes, the combination of ia tubular bar ihavrng-a longitudinal slot in its forward portion, means for. pvotallysupportinsathe.;rear eind of said bal", a yoke through which., the ,frentend of the bar extendanyieldabl in the yoke ,farqthe front ,endl of coupling head, a shank extending from the head and litting slidably in the tubular bar, a key carried by the shank and fitting in the slot in the bar, and a spring housed in the bar between'the rearend of-the lsame and the rear end of the shank.

3, In coupling vmechanism for train pipes, the combination ofy a tubular bar, means pivotallyv supporting the rear end of the bar, a fixed yoke through which the front end of said bar extends, a cross bar mounted in the yoke and having its ends slidingly engaging the sides of the yoke and held .thereby against horizontal movement, a yielding support for said` bar on the bottom of the yoke,

a pipe coupling head, a shank projecting from said head and entering the tubular bar, and a coiled spring housed in the tubular bar and bearing against the rear end of said shank.

4. In coupling mechanism for train pipes,

the combination of a tubular bar, means .for

pivotally supportingthe rear portion thereof, a yoke, a yieldable cross bar in the yoke supporting the front end of the bar, a pipe coupling head yieldablv connected with said bar, and substantially verticallyv disposed springs secured at their upper ends'within the yoke and having their lower ends free and bearing against the sides of the bar.

In coupling mechanism for train pipes, the combination of tubular' bars, yieldablesupports therefor, pipe coupling heads yielding connections between the heads and the bars,the coupling heads having trans# verse horizontal ducts therein, valves 'eX- tendlng vertically across said ducts within the coupling heads, and means extending j laterally from the coupling heads and connected to 'the valves for valves from the sides of a car.

y operating said fiol 6. In coupling means for train pipes,the 'i combination of automatically operable pipe coupling "means including' coupling `heads having transverse horizontal ducts therein,

valves extending vertically across said vducts forward extremity of the inner side being beveled forwardly and outwardly, a hood secured to the top andbottom of the head at the rear' thereof andhaving its top, bottom and outer side 'converging rearwardly to snugly receive the forwardly converging sides of the mating head, said heads having transverse horizontal ducts therethrough opening' at one end through the `flat inner sidesofthe heads, means at the outer ends of` said ducts toy attach train lines, and packing members `around the inner ends of said ducts. 4, j

Intestimony whereof, have signed this specification in the-presence of two subscribing witnesses.

' Witnesses: l l E. M. PARRIS, OmvEaK, HISEY.

` LEA` MAKING;- 

